Anchorage is located outside the harbour entrance with Taiaroa Head Light bearing 160 deg.T and Heyward Point Light bearing 220 deg.T.
Depth of water is about 23.8 m and the bottom consists of sand. The anchorage is safe in all winds except during easterly gales, which are rare.
There is no anchorage inside the harbour entrance, but vessels up to 152 m may, in case of emergency, anchor in Port Chalmers swinging basin.

For the new season beginning September 2019, New Zealand, Australia and Chile have introduced tougher rules to combat increasing spread of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMST) coming from targeted "BMST" countries.